Daddy Played Piano
by Wryn Flynt
Summary: Ginny sings her son to sleep and relives her life with the man she loved and lost. One shot. Inspired by the song Daddy's Son from Ragtime. DG.


Ginny lay next to her infant son. He stared up at her expectantly with beautiful blue-gray eyes. She smiled sadly, knowing that he was waiting for her to sing him to sleep. She was preparing to sing him his favorite lullaby but it didn't seem right tonight. The rain pelting the windows was too like that night.

No. Tonight she would sing her son his story.

_**Daddy played piano, played it very well** _

_Ginny was walking quietly down one of the halls in Malfoy Manor, her steps matching the rhythm of the rain. She had to get Malfoy, the Order needed his report. That didn't mean Ginny trusted him. She feared his betrayal and thought he might take after his old potions master and turn fully to the dark side. Not that she didn't think he was there already._

_It was lucky Harry was away. He would have stopped her if he had been there that night. He trusted Malfoy less than Snape if that was possible._

_Ginny stopped. There was a sound up ahead, but not of footsteps. She walked closer and leaned against a door. It was music. She opened the door softly. It didn't make a sound. The house elves should be proud._

_The sight that met her eyes didn't seem out of place yet it surprised her just the same. Draco was seated at a grand piano, his fingers moving deftly across the keys. He must not have heard her enter because there was no interruption in the song._

**_Music from those hands could catch you like a spell_**

_Ginny stood there, entranced. It was beautiful. It almost brought tears to her eyes and Ginevra Weasley didn't cry. She couldn't move; she could only listen._

_When she regained mobility she began to walk towards him. He sat there, his eyes closed, an expression of peaceful bliss playing on his face. The song continued to flow from his hands as easily as water from a stream and Ginny was moved in a way she couldn't define._

**_He could make you love him before the tune was done_**

_She leaned forward and kissed him softly. He opened his eyes suddenly and almost jumped back._

_"Ginny?" he whispered disbelievingly. She blushed scarlet, her face as red as her hair._

_"The Order needs your report," she said quickly. She turned then, and ran out the door and down the hall as fast as she could. She thought she might have heard him call out to her as she ran, but she didn't turn around._

**_You have your Daddy's hands_**

_Ginny was in the kitchen washing dishes at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place two weeks later. As she scrubbed she began to sing softly as was her habit. She almost laughed when she realized it was the same song that Draco had been playing on the piano that night._

_When did she start thinking of him as Draco? He had always been Malfoy, no matter how hard McGonagall tried to get the rest of the Order to use his first name._

_All thoughts were pushed slowly out of her mind as her hands matched the rhythm of her song. Almost everyone was gone and she was enjoying the peace that the house afforded. She finished the last dish (her mother had yet to share her cleaning charm secrets) and closed her eyes while the warm water caressed her hands._

_She stopped singing as she realized that there was another set of hands upon her own. She opened her eyes, realizing that there were arms encircling her from behind. She almost pulled away when she recognized the hands. She had seen them dancing on the piano keys and now they danced through her fingers._

_"Ginny," Draco whispered in her ear. There was no uncertainty in his voice now._

_The sound of the front door opening and closing brought Ginny out of a trance she hadn't known she was in._

_"You'd better sit down," she said without turning around. She had a feeling that if she looked at him then, she wouldn't stop. He took his arms away and she mourned the loss of their warmth silently._

_"'Evening Ginny," Lupin said as he entered the kitchen, "Draco." Ginny turned and smiled at Lupin. Draco was sitting at the table as if he'd been there forever._

_"Lupin," Draco nodded. He caught Ginny's gaze for a moment that seemed to last eternity._

**_You are your Daddy's son_**

_Ginny stood outside the Burrow under her favorite tree. The tree that Charlie had taught her how to climb. The tree under which she had just read a letter telling her that Charlie was dead._

_Charlie was dead. The words hit her hard but she didn't cry. She needed to be strong. Percy was missing and George was in emergency care at St. Mongo's. Fred tried to joke, saying that he was almost beside himself, but he was falling apart inside. Ginny needed to be strong for him and mum._

_The tree shielded her from most of the rain, but it did not shelter her completely. It was as if the world was trying to make her cry. Well she wouldn't do it._

_"Ginny," Draco's voice came from behind her, "I just heard about Charlie."_

_"Yeah," she responded hollowly, "Mum's having a really rough time with it."_

_"How are **you** Gin?" It felt strangely comfortable to hear him use her nickname._

_"I'm fine," she said as she began to turn away._

_"No you're not," he said as he stepped closer._

_"So you know me now?" she asked bitterly, "I guess it's a shame you don't have your piano out here to play a sad song for me huh."_

_"It's ok to cry Gin."_

_"I have to be strong for mum."_

_"Then let me be strong for you," he said warmly. She looked up at him and he reached out to touch her cheek. The instant his hand brushed her skin a tear slid down her face. Before she knew what was happening she was crying with all of her soul into Draco's chest. His arms were warm around her and he didn't even pull back after her tears subsided._

_"Thank you Draco," she sighed into his chest._

_"You're welcome Gin."_

**_Daddy never knew that you were on your way_**

_"You're not leaving are you?" Ginny asked as Draco opened the door to the Order's headquarters. They had become friends, good friends, over the past few months and she had hoped he'd stay for dinner tonight._

_"I have to Gin," he said with a frown, "He's calling." Ginny glanced at Draco's left arm before nodding solemnly._

_"You'll be back for Christmas in a few days, won't you?" she asked hopefully._

_"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he turned and embraced her, then walked out the door with a smile._

_True to his word he walked in the door on Christmas Eve leaden with presents. The festivities started and Molly's feast began. Draco was offered Charlie's old chair next to Ginny. He sat gratefully giving Mrs. Weasley a smile. She returned it sadly as Fred entered with George who was now missing a leg. St. Mongo's was trying to figure out a way to grow it back._

_Despite the missing members of the Order the feast was one to remember. Everyone took advantage of the sanctuary and fully enjoyed themselves for the first time in many darks months. Everyone retired to the living room for carols and cookies. To Ginny's delight Draco sat at the piano and began to play for them. She watched him smile as she began to sing. She could swear that he was playing just for her._

_It was well past midnight and Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco, Luna, and Harry were the only ones left in the living room. Harry and Luna bid everyone goodnight before heading out to their own flat not too far from Grimmauld Place. Ron and Hermione quickly fell asleep on one of the couches._

_Ginny and Draco were by the fire, Draco's back propped against an overstuffed chair and Ginny leaning back on his chest. The clock struck one am._

_"Merry Christmas," Ginny said with a smile._

_"Merry Christmas," Draco responded, "I have something for you." He reached under the enchanted tree and pulled out a small box. Ginny opened it to find a beautifully carved music box. When she opened it, it played the song that she had first found Draco playing on the piano in Malfoy Manor._

_"Oh Draco!"_

_"It will play whatever you want it to," he said with a smile, "So you can sing whenever you wish." She looked up trying to find words to express her gratitude, but could find none._

_"Draco, I…" she stalled looking at the box._

_"Shh." He pulled her towards him and kissed her._

**_He had other ladies, and other tunes to play_**

_Ginny woke up and at first was surprised not to find Draco's warm body beside her. The she heard the piano. She smiled and slipped out of bed and walked to the piano in their room. Sure enough he sat there stroking the keys. She put her arms around his neck. He finished the song and pulled her onto his lap._

_"What are you doing up?" he asked as he kissed her._

_"I could ask you the same question," she said as she returned the favor. He just smiled and held her._

_"Will you sing for me?" he asked._

_"Of course," she said as she got to her feet. He began to play once more, gracing the instrument with his perfect hands. She sang for him as she did so often, never tiring of it. But halfway through the song he stopped and gripped his left forearm._

_"I have to go," he said as he began to dress, "He's calling." Ginny wanted to protest but she knew she couldn't. Draco took one look at her face and held her softly._

_"Don't worry," he said, "It's just a dance with Lady Death. She and I have danced often before."_

_"It's not funny," she said as she clung to him._

_"I know," he said as he returned the embrace, "I love you Gin."_

_"I love you too Draco."_

**_When he up and left me, I just up and run_**

_Draco had been leaving a lot recently. Something big was coming. Whenever he went away Ginny threw herself heart and soul into work for the Order. She had to keep busy. She worried about him enough as it was._

**_Only thing in my head_**

_But she couldn't get him out of her thoughts. When he was with her nothing else in the world existed. When he was gone…_

_She did everything she could to not think of him._

**_You were your daddy's son_**

_But nothing worked._

**_Couldn't hear no music_**

_One morning Ginny woke with no Draco beside her. She shook her head trying to find what was wrong. Then she realized._

_Draco was gone and there was no music._

_She panicked and ran to the nearest door. Maybe he was in the bathroom. She pulled it open but was met with nothing but cold tile. She began to panic._

_Suddenly Harry's patronus came through the window. That could only mean one thing. The battle had come._

**_Couldn't see no light_**

_Ginny ran out into the dark, following the patronus. She was trying to prepare herself for the battle that she knew was not far off, but all of her thoughts were with Draco. Was he safe? Was he there already? Why did he leave without saying goodbye?_

**_Mama, she was frightened, crazy from the fright_**

_Ginny reached the Hogwarts grounds and ran into the fray. She fought blindly, hurling hexes and curses, all the while looking for Draco._

_Then she spotted him. He was dueling with the Dark Lord and he had finally shown his true colors._

_Then she saw Harry running towards them from behind Voldemort. She realized what Draco was going to do a second before he did it. He delivered a final curse, angering Voldemort._

_Draco turned and looked at her. He mouthed the words "I love you" as the Dark Lord spoke two very real words in the distance. Draco fell in a flash of green light._

**_Tears without no comfort, screams without no sound_**

_Ginny felt a scream build inside of her. But it never reached her mouth._

_A second flash of green light shone and the Dark Lord collapsed. Harry had won._

_**Only darkness and pain, the anger and pain, the blood and the pain!** _

_Once the battle had ended everyone was rejoicing._

_Everyone except Ginny. She remained where she had fallen onto her knees next to Draco's body. She cradled him, tears falling from her eyes as she never thought they could. She couldn't feel anything but pain consuming every fiber of her being. She couldn't even take revenge._

_She looked down at Draco's face and the last whole piece of her heart broke. His eyes were open and lifeless, but they still retained a flicker of the emotion he had given to her as he sacrificed himself. _

_Ginny couldn't stop crying._

**_I buried my heart in the ground, when I buried you in the ground_**

_Ginny attended a service for all who had fallen. So many. There wasn't enough strength left in her to mourn them all._

_Remus had fallen, but he had sent Wormtail before him. Tonks had followed Remus. Why couldn't she have done that? Ginny was dangerously close to taking her own life but her mother and Hermione kept an eye on her._

_A week later she found out that she was pregnant. As the child grew, so did Ginny. She began to smile genuine smiles the day her son was born. _

_Nicolas Draco Malfoy had been slowly healing his mother since then._

**_Daddy played piano, bet he's playin' still_**

Ginny looked down to find Cole still awake. She picked him up and walked him once around the bed but stopped as she passed the piano. She paused and then sat down on the ebony bench. Then she heard the piano's music for the first time in over a year.

Cole was plunking nonsense notes, his hands flying awkwardly up and down the keys. Ginny placed her hands on the keys and closed her eyes. Her fingers began to trace the familiar pattern of Draco's song, but she had to stop.

**_Mama can't forget him, don't suppose I will_**

Then she felt strong hands over hers. Her breath caught painfully in her throat as they guided her to finish the song. She kept her eyes closed, afraid to open them and have the hands fade away. Instead they moved to her shoulders and embraced her. She reached up and clung to the spectral arms, praying they would stay.

**_God makes no excuses, I have only one_**

"_I love you Ginny,"_ a voice carried on the wind, _"Take care of our son."_

"I will Draco," she said as a small sob escaped her throat, "I will." She opened her eyes and turned in time to see the form of the man she loved smile. Then he faded into the music of the music box on the nightstand.

**_You have your daddy's hands, forgive me, you are your daddy's son_**

Ginny looked down as the music stopped. Cole's right hand was resting on the keys. His left hand was resting on Ginny's. He had fallen asleep at the piano.

She lifted him softly and set him on the bed. _You really do have your daddy's hands_ she thought as she lay next to him. He snuggled close to her, breathing with the music from Draco's music box. Ginny looked at her son and closed her eyes to darkness.

"I love you," she whispered.

Then Ginny indulged in a sadly sweet smile as she fell asleep to the music box's song.

A/N: This was inspired by the song "Daddy's Son" from Ragtime. Heart wrenching and incredibly sad song by the way. My heart really went into this one. Thanks for reading and please review.


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